Conduit fitting



May 15, 192s.

J. C. BOYTON ET AL CONDUIT FITTING Filed Jan. 2. 1926 /llA/Il/Il'llllll////// IN V ENTOR S Patented May 15, 1928.

uurrlezl)l STATE S f PATENT- OFFICE.

JOHNy C. BOYTON, OF CLEVELAND, AND WALTER H. DODDRIDGE, F LAKEWOOD,OHIO.

CONDUI'L' FITTING.

Application led January 2, 1926. Serial No.. 78,778.

This invention relates to the class of devices known as conduit fittingsthat are used for joining together the sections of a conduit throughwhich electric wires are run in the wiring of buildings or other'structures.

Such fittings have openings through which access may be had to the wiresfor the purpose of making connections and for directing the wiresthrough the conduits, especially about corners. Suitable covers areprovided for closing the openings, and it is to improved means forsecuring the covers to the fittings that this invention particularlyrelates.

The objects of the invention are to provide simple and cheap means bywhich the cover may be easily and quickly secured in place on the`fitting without the use of tools, thus greatly facilitating the work ofwiring a structure, and whichl permits of the removal of the cover whenoccasion arises. Furthermore, the fastening means is concealed withinthe fitting thereby enhancing 1 the appearance of the device.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1is a perspective view of `a fitting incorporating the invention and bymeans of which conduit sections disposed at an angle to each other areconnected together;.Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section through thefitting; and Fig. 3 isa transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

The fitting is comprised of a hollow body 1, which may consist of` acored casting of suitable metal, and it is provided with the usualopenings 2 for the passage of the Wires, the outer portions of saidopenings being tapped for the reception of the threaded ends of theconduit sections 3. The body has an open side 4 through which access maybe had to wires entering the fitting through the openings 2, as for thepurpose of connecting the wires together or for directing them Vfrom oneconduit section to the other. All of this is in accordance withprevailing practice and, of itself, constitutes no part of our presentinvention.

A cover 5, that is preferably' formed of sheetA metal, is slidablyconnected to the open side lof the body 1, as by having its) convergentperipheral flange 6 :engaged with "a flared portion 7 of the body whichsurrounds three sides of the opening 4. It will .be

observed, especially from Figs. l and 3,

that there is suicient clearance between the i flange 6 and the flaredportion 7 to permit the cover to rise a limited distance with respect tothe body 1. This is for a purpose which will presently appear. Securedto the inner side of the cover, as by means of a rivet 10` is a springtongue 11. lVhen the cover is in place., what will be termed the rearend of the tongue engages an abutment 12 that is normal to the plane ofmovement of the cover as it is being slid lengthwise onto the body,while the forward end of the tongue is arrangedto engage beneath aflange 13 that extends across the open side of the body inwardly fromthe upper end of the adjacent end wall.

In applying the cover, the flange 6 is engaged with the flared upper endof the body adjacent the right hand end thereof, as the parts are viewedin Figs. 1 and 2, the cover being 'lifted with respect to the bodysufficiently to permit the passage of the tonguell and the rivet 10across said end wall. As' the cover nears its final position it ispressed down against the b ody so that the tongue 11 will engage beneaththe flange 13, and when forced to its final position it places theforward end of the tongue under tension which draws the cover firmlydown against the body. The same result is accomplished with respect tothe opposite end of the cover by means of the flange 6 engaging beneaththe flared portion 7. The cover is held against retraction by the en-Utl gagement of the rear end ofthe tongue 11 with the abutment 12.

When, for any reason, it is desired to open the fitting, the forward endof the cover may be elevated sufiiciently to insert the end of a screwdriver or other tool between the cover 5 and the flange 13 so that thecover may be forced upwardly the flange 6 yieldingm under the strainimposed upon it.

`sufficiently to pass the flared portion 7 of the cover and body, and aspring tongue secured to the inner side of the cover, one end of thetongue engaging a part of the body to prevent retraction of the cover,while the opposite end thereof, engaging beneatha art of the body, tendsto hold the cover in rm contact with the body.

2. A conduit fitting comprising a hollow body having an open side andprovided with facilities for attaching conduit sections thereto, a coverslidably connected to the open side of the body by loosely interengag--ing guide parts of the cover and body, said parts permitting limitedseparation between the cover and body, rthe body having adjacent one endof ,its open side an abutment and at the other a shoulder spacedinwardly from' said open side, and a spring tongue secured to the innerside of the cover, one en of the spring tongue being adapted to engagethe abutment thereby to prevent retracf A tion of the cover, while theopposite end of tongue, underlying the aforesaid shoulder, tends to holdthe adjacent end of the cover in irm contact with the open side of thebody.

3. A conduit-*.tting comprising a hollow body having an open sideandprovided with facilities for attaching conduit sections thereto, thebody being Hared about its open side, a cover having a convergent angealong each of its lateral edges and at one vend for loose engagementwith the ared l as v body but al from at one end, the body incorporatingan -part of the body whereby the cover may be vslidably engaged andinterlocked with the owed a limited separation thereabutment at one endofits open side and a meager ange extending inwardly from the upper endof its end wall opposite said abutment, and a spring tongue secured tothe inner side of the cover, one end of said tongue being arranged 'toengage the aforesaid abutment to hold the cover against retraction,while the opposite end of the tongue, engaging beneath the aforesaidflange, tends to hold the d engaged-and interlocked with the body butallowed a limited separation therefrom at one end, the bodyincorporating an abutment at one end 4of its open side that is substan--tially normalto the plane of said open side,

the body having a flange extendinginwardly from the upper end of its endwall opposite said abutment, and a spring tongue secured to the innerside ofthe cover, one end ofsaid tongue being arranged to engage theafore-v said abutment to hold the cover against ref traction, while theopposite lend of the tongue, engaging beneath the aforesaid flange,tends to hold the adjacent end of the cover in rm contact with the body.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto aixour signatures. l

onN o. BoYToN.

WALTER, n. Doonnmen.

